Chinese president congratulates Cuban Communist Party's new leader

BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao Wednesday sent a congratulatory message to Cuban President Raul Castro on his election as first secretary of Cuba's Communist Party (PCC) on Tuesday.

"On behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and in my own name, I would like to extend my warm congratulations on your election as first secretary of the PCC's Central Committee," Hu said in the message.

"Despite mounting external pressure and numerous difficulties, Cuba has remained committed to the path of socialism and made great achievements to promote the cause of the socialist revolution and construction since the Fifth National Congress of PCC," the message said.

"At the moment, the PCC is actively seeking a development path which suits Cuba's national conditions," President Hu noted.

He expressed the belief that under the leadership of Raul Castro, the PCC and the Cuban government will lead their people to achieve greater success in exploring and building socialism in Cuba.

"The CPC and the Chinese government have attached great importance to China-Cuba relations and will, as always, pursue a long-term friendly policy toward Cuba," the message said.

"The CPC and the Chinese government are ready to work with their Cuban counterparts to further deepen their traditional friendship, expand friendly cooperation in various fields and promote sustained development of relations between the two countries and the two parties," the message said.

Castro was appointed first secretary of the PCC's Central Committee at the party's sixth national congress, which concluded on Tuesday.